Eye exerciser



Jan. 4, 1949. H. BREITBARTH 2,458,140

EYE EXERCISER Filed yNov. 21, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet l v v m j l 5@ 0J/ -P 'LE f i 7B i 5E g D Mv f g l f mi "l l f V/ F j j 7H d j '1 4 m f v j r l L\\\r\\\\\\ ,J

, Ln 'Ti' m I N VEN TOR.

Y //S ATTORNEY Jan. 4, 1949. H. BREITBARTH 2,458,140

` EYE EXERCISER Filed Nov. 21, 194s 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Jan. 4, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT l F F I CE EYE EXERCISEB.

Henry Bretbarth, Chicagmlll; Application November 21, 1946;.Seria1iNoi '711,407

This` invention relates to certain new and. useful improvements in eye exercisers and the object.

of the` invention is to provide, in a device of this character,l a target. upon which the eyes are adapted to be fixed and which is designed and intended` to travel an4 irregular course or path whereby to cause` the eyes to` move fromv left to right, thereby to exercise the various muscles of the eyes.

.Another` object of the invention is to provide in such a device an` arrangement for illuminating the moving target, upon which the eyes are adapted toV bered` during exercising, and incor porating in the circuit of said illuminating means circuitY breakers whereby to momentarily deenergize thev illuminating means, preferably ata time simultaneously with the passing of the target in close proximity to the` illuminating means, thus` momentarily causing loss of view of the target at thetime that the illuminating means becomes deenergized so: as to compel` the user to employ the` eyes to relocate the target, thereby exercising the` eyes.

Another and equally important object of the invention` is to provide an eye exercising device which will be simple in construction, easy of operation and economical in manufacture.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by referi ence` tothe accompanying drawings showing the preferred form of construction, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a suggested cabinet for enclosing the mechanism embodied in my eye exercising device;

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional vertical detail view of the same taken approximately on line 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a schematic detail view of a suggested circuit to be embodied in my invention; and

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional detail view of the invention taken approximately on line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

In carrying my invention into effect and to accomplish the several objects thereof, I provide a suitable cabinet I0 comprising a bottom wall I I, front and back walls I2 and I3, and side walls I4. The cabinet further includes a top Wall I5 preferably formed integral with the front wall I2 and removable with the latter wall to afford access to the interior of the cabinet IIJ.

1 A sight opening I6 is preferably surrounded by an eye shield I1, the front edge I8 of which is a claims. (c1. 12s-76.5)

curved to afford comfort when the user places his head against the shield I1 in positioning the eyes for viewing through theopening I6.

Within the cabinet I 0 and on opposite confronta ing faces` of the side Walls I4 are mountingv brackets I8, which support a mounting plate 20. On this mounting plate 2U` are arranged vertically extending shafts ZI, withcertain of these shafts 2I` positioned with respect to each other so as to move a. chain 22 through an irregular path and to formy the medial portion of the chain 22 in substantially the formy of a triangle in plan view, with the: apex ofthe triangle substantially positioned` in alignment with a vertical center line through the sight opening, IB. The, remaining of these shafts 2| direct the opposite portions 23 of the chain 22 in an elongated path away from` the medialportion of the chain 22.

Each of these shafts 2I has operative connection with the chain 22 by suitable sprocket gears 24.` It is desirable that thechain'22 `be substantially' taut so as to prevent'irregular movement thereon. or vibration during its travel over the sprocket4 gears 24, thus maintaining the target in` an upright. position. For `this purpose, any suitable tightening device may be providedl Such tightening device has not been illustrated nor described because it does not in itself constitute any part of the present invention.

One, of the shafts 21|, such as indicated at 25, extends` below the mounting plate 2B, and on the shaft indicated at 25 there is mounted` a gear 2,6 having operative meshing relation With a worm gear 21 mounted on a shaft 28 of a` motor 29 supported by and attached to the bottom wall I I as at 30.

Carried by the chain 22 as at 3| is a post 32, the upper end of which carries a target 33. i This target 33 is shown in the form of a ball and is preferably provided with a color not injurious to the eyes by reason of brightness. The target 33 may be of any suitable shape other than a ball which will best serve the purpose. i

Carried by the side Wall I4, adjacent the side loops 34 of the chain 22, are mounting brackets 35, each supporting a socket 36, into which is threaded an electric lamp bulb 31.

AIn Fig. 3 I have illustrated a suggested circuit for the motor 29 and the electric bulbs 31. In this circuit there is a master control switch 38 and a rheostat 33 regulating the speed of operation of the motor 29. There is also incorporated that there depend from the chain 22 lugs 4I 3 adapted to engage elements 42 ofV each of the switches 40, whereby to deenergize the electric bulbs 31 simultaneously with the passing of the target 33 in front of the bulbs 31. illustrated in Fig. 3 is connected in source with the power line through the medium of a suitable plug 43.

To complete the invention, a suitable means may be employed to support the cabinet I at an inclination With respect to the horizontal to afford convenience of use.

In the use of the apparatus, the user positions his head with respect to the shield IT so that he may have a View through the sight opening I6. The switch 38 is closed to start the operation of the motor 29, the speed of which is regulated by the rheostat 39. The user will locate the target 33 and keep his `eyes xed thereon. Assumingv that the target 33 starts at the point A and that the chain 22 is moving in the direction of the arrow (Fig. 4), it will be noted that'the target 33 will move away and to the left of the sight opening l 6 and then take a course directly parallel with the front wall I2 of the cabinet and return in that parallel path to a point where the target 33 then moves toward thev user to the apex of the triangle deining the path oi movement of the target 33, which is the point A. From this point, the target 33then travels in a similar path but to the right of the line of Xation', as viewed in Fig'. 4. Each time the target passes in front of the electric bulbs 31, these bulbs 31 are deenergized so that momentarily the target 33 is lost to the user but upon energization of the bulbs 31, the target is then easily located. Thus, the muscles of the eyes may be exercised as well as the pupils thereof.

Against the inside face of the front Wall I2 may be placed a suitable mirror I2v for reecting the light back into the cabinet.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modifications withoutr departing from the spirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modications as come within the scope of the append-ed claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

l. An eye exercising device comprising a target, means for moving said target along an irregular path, said path comprising a medial portion'of The circuit l substantially triangular formation in plan view, with the apex of the triangular path nearest the position of theuser of the device, means for controlling the movement of said target moving means, illuminating means at certain points of travel of said target along said path, and means for momentarily deenergizing said illuminating means as said target is moved by said target moving Vmeans past said illuminating means.

2. An eye exercising device comprising a cabinet having a sight opening formed in a wall thereoi an eye shield surrounding said opening,

a mounting plate in said cabinet, a continuous chain, sprocket gears supported by said mounting plate and having operative engagement with said chain for moving said chain through an irregular path substantially in parallel spaced relation with respect to the mounting plate, with the medial portion of said path forming substantially a triangle in plan View with `the apex of thetriange adjacent the sight opening, means acting upon one of said sprocket wheels for mov-A ing said chain, and a target carried by said chain.

3. An eye exercising device comprising a cabia net having a sight opening formed in a wall thereof, an eye shield surrounding said opening, a moimting plate in said cabinet, a continuous chain, sprocket gears supported by said mounting plate and having operative engagement withv said chain for moving said chain through an irregular path substantially in parallel spaced relation with respect to the mounting plate, with the medial portion of said path forming substan.- tially a triangle in plan view with the apex of the triangle adjacent the sight opening, means acting upon one of said sprocket wheels for vmov ing said chain, a target carried by said chain,

said chain fromthe base of said triangular 'path adapted to travel in a straight line laterally from said triangular path, illuminating means at the end of said latter path of movement of the chain, and means for deenergizing said illuminating means as said target is moved by said chain past said illuminating means.

HENRY BREITBARTH. Y

-REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the iile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

